village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Palos Park, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 29% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring and fall (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (8th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.9 mi W); corn (nearest 3.0 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 3.0 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Palos Park?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Palos Park, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on May 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, black locust; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Palos Park
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.03 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.34 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 87% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Palos Park ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 94th | 78th | 82nd |
| Illinois | 29th | 99th | 8th | 99th |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 21st | 100th | 6th | 98th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Palos Park: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Palos Heights 2 mi · Palos Hills 2 mi · Worth 2 mi · Chicago Ridge 4 mi · Hickory Hills 4 mi · Orland Park 4 mi
All towns in Illinois · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Palos Park (41.6662, -87.8296); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.